T1D is like a prickly cactus (literally and figuratively), but I've learned to embrace it, thorns and all.

The Meaning Behind Blue Fridays

It’s November 15th which means that it’s Day 15 of the Happy Diabetic Challenge! Today’s prompt is about blue Friday. Umm, I admit I had to do some research on this topic, ‘cuz I never really understood why people with diabetes are encouraged to wear blue on Fridays…

…I’ve never even really known the reason why the color blue was chosen to represent the diabetes community as a whole.

So naturally, I decided to do a little research and find out answers to my questions.

First up: Why is blue the official “diabetes color”?

The answer is simple, but satisfying. Until 2006, there was no color or symbol that represented diabetes. The United Nations played a role in selecting a blue circle to change that. Blue was picked because of its unifying reputation: It represents both the sky and the flag of the United Nations. Since diabetes is an issue that affects individuals around the globe, it made sense to choose a circle as a symbol; thus, the blue circle was born.

What about the second question: Why “blue Fridays”?

Sporting my blue, the hashtag, and the universal symbol for diabetes awareness!

The answer to that was also straightforward. The “blue Fridays” concept started a few years ago as a social media initiative intended to bring awareness to diabetes. It’s really easy to participate. All you need to do is snap a photo of yourself wearing blue on Fridays throughout the month of November. Add the hashtag #BlueFriday and maybe a caption about what diabetes awareness means to you or something else relevant to the meaning of diabetes awareness month and post it on all of your social media channels. That’s it! I love scrolling through feeds on Fridays in November and seeing the waves of blue all throughout. It’s a visual reminder of just how many people are affected by diabetes, and how our community finds strength through numbers.

Before you go, I’ve got an exciting announcement: I’m appearing on the podcast, “Ask Me About My Type 1” this Monday, November 18th!!! The wonderful host, Walt Drennan, asked me to be a guest and I immediately said yes. One of my dearest friends, Emma, is also on the show as my “Type None” guest and the three of us had an amazing conversation about diabetes and support. The episode will be available Google Podcasts, Spotify, and the Apple podcast app. Why not spend some time this weekend, though, checking out the complete Season 1 of the podcast as well as what Walt has recorded so far for Season 2? You’re in for a real treat as he’s had fantastic guests on for both seasons. I’ll post the link to my episode across social media when it debuts on Monday and you can visit the podcast website here to learn more about Walt and the series.